Foley Poised For Christmas Battles

There are positives heading into the second half of the season and we will use them to our advantage"

Kevin Foley

Kevin Foley believes Wolves will need all the squad to be at their best over Christmas as they aim to use the hectic schedule to make strides up the table.

Tomorrow’s tough trip to Blackpool (7.45pm) is the first of four games in 12 days, after which Wolves welcome Peterborough and Ipswich to Molineux before travelling to face Crystal Palace on New Year’s Day.

That sequence offers plenty of points up for grabs and, while knowing it’s tough, Foley believes there are opportunities to make headway up the npower Championship.

“I think everyone will be ready to play over Christmas when there are so many games,” says Foley.

“You can see what the gaffer is trying to do as we have had a couple of in-house friendly games to make sure everyone is up to speed and the right fitness levels.

“We all want to play as many games as possible but I am sure the squad may well be used to its maximum over the next two or three weeks.

“We have four quick games coming up and it would be great to get two or three wins on the board.

“We are in a similar position points-wise away from the play-offs and from relegation so we need to push on now, get a couple of wins and climb the table.

“It’s not going to be as simple as that but hopefully we are going into a spell where we will win more games than we have been.

“We have got the players to do it – that’s for sure.

“We need to put the work in and put the performances in and we have the confidence that results will come.”

After a run of just three points from nine games Wolves have picked up form in the last three 90 minutes, although a poor refereeing decision denied them the chance of a point at Middlesbrough to follow the back-to-back victories against Bristol City and Birmingham.

“The Middlesbrough game was very disappointing,” says Foley.

“We’d have been happy to come away with a goalless draw on the back of the two wins.

“We had a few chances and they had a few chances and there wasn’t anything really clear-cut at either end.

“A draw would have been a fair result but you don’t get all that many fair results in football.

“Then the penalty decision was made and they went on and got a second on the break.

“We can’t let that detract from the fact we have had three decent performances now after what was previously an awful run.

“We’ve won two out of the last three and have now got another big game on Friday night at Blackpool.

“They are a team who like to play football and have also got a new manager in charge.

“They will be well up for it so we will have to be right on our toes.

“It promises to be a lively one for us as a defence but they are all fairly lively in this division!

“We just need to do our best to try and get the result which gets back on track.”

And looking further afield Foley believes Wolves still have the opportunity to put the sort of run together which could yet see them involved in the shake-up at the right end of the table.

Not least as there are several key players whose return from injury is moving ever closer.

“We have had a lot of injuries but then again so do other clubs,” says Foley.

“I suppose the timing hasn’t been great for us because we have had players who have been looking good and exciting and then been injured like Razak and Peszko.

“So we’ve not seen the best of them as yet and maybe that is a positive for what lies ahead when they come back.

“I also think Stephen Hunt has got a lot to offer when he gets back while Jamie is very close now and he is a very good player on the ball.

“So there are positives heading into the second half of the season and we will use them to our advantage.”